Per H. Imtiyaz Hussain, J.

1. The dispute arising in the present petitions centers round the questions to the inter-se seniority between the direct recruits and the promotees under the Jammu & Kashmir Revenue (Gazetted) Service. The dispute also relates to the regularization of the promotees and fixation of their inter-se seniority in the cadre.

2. Appellants in LPA No: 412J/2001, petitioners in W.P.No: 2111J/2003 and petitioners in S.W.P No. 857, 858, 1556 and 1859 of 2004 are the direct recruits (hereinafter also referred to as the petitioners (DR)) while as the appellants in LPA No: 415J of 2001 and petitioners in SWP No: 855 and 856 of 2004 are the promotees (hereinafter also referred to as the respondents (PR)). The promotees were appointed as Naib Tehsildars in the year 1973. In the year 1983 those Naib Tehsildars, who had qualified the departmental Tehsildar examination held by the State Public Service Commission, were given stop gap promotions as Tehsildar, in their own pay and grade. Later the grade of the post too was released in their favour and in the year 1997 their services as Tehsildars were regularized retrospectively with effect from 1-1-1984. Some of the promotees w

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